


Seven Days

by kat_with_koffee



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean Winchester, Alpha Sam Winchester, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Regency, Arranged Marriage, Caring Sam, F/M, Gabriel is younger, Gabriel's a little ooc, Insecure Gabriel (Supernatural), M/M, Mating Bites, Omega Castiel, Omega Gabriel, Sabriel - Freeform, Sabriel is the main pairing, Shy Gabriel (Supernatural), but not enough to mention, give him a break he's had a rough time, let's pretend they were a mass biological mutation of the 1960s, no betas in this universe, other people too - Freeform, that sounds reasonable, vaguely regency
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-02-13 10:42:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12982332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kat_with_koffee/pseuds/kat_with_koffee
Summary: After agreeing to a marriage arranged by his father, Samuel Winchester meets and marries Gabriel Milton in a whirlwind of rushed greetings and tense family meetings. Now the two of them are alone, given a week to themselves to complete the mating.





	1. A Few Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But Kat, what are you doing? You haven't finished the other A/B/O Sabriel fic you're writing. 
> 
> Yes, I know. I'm working on it, honest. But I've hit kind of a dull spot in the plot of that one and rather than just pound out trash, I'm going to resume posting chapters when I can actually sit down and not half-ass my writing. (read: when finals week is over)
> 
> In the mean time, here!

**THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER**

I’m just going to take some liberties and explain some things. 

1) This is reminiscent of the Regency era in England, but not exactly, and this is for two reasons:  
2) I am not an expert. I’m happy to do research in the name of accuracy to a point, but I’ve got other things I need to study.  
It’s fanfiction, I’ll do what I want and what works with the story. 

The first chapter is a good bit of exposition, so I’ll skip over Sam and Gabriel’s status and family history here. 

First think I will walk about are the ages. For the sake of this work, Gabriel is younger than Castiel. 

Sam - 22  
Dean - 26  
Castiel - 25  
Gabriel - 18

*Marriage age is generally 21, with exceptions regarding arrangements and/or extreme circumstances. 

Regency era dress is the basis for what they will be wearing. 

1)For Male Alphas and Female Omegas, historical clothing as it was, will be what they’re wearing here.  
2)For Female Alphas, dresses are generally worn, but of similar color scheme to traditional men’s outfits—that being, darker colors; solid, striped, and occasionally brocaded fabric. They may wear trousers for occasions such as hunts or business meetings.  
3)Male Omegas generally wear trousers, a light colored shirt (sometimes with loose sleeves) and a waistcoat which may or may not be corseted. Their clothing is generally lightly colored, and the neckline of their shirts and waistcoats is low enough to display a mating bite mark. They may occasionally wear gowns to formal gatherings.

Now for titles. In general, manners of address are as follows:

Master - Male Alpha  
Madam - Married Female Alpha  
Ma’am - Unmarried Female Alpha  
Mister - Male Omega  
Missus - Married Female Omega  
Miss - Unmarried Female Omega

*Take note of the tags. No Betas in this universe. Let’s just pretend Betas were a genetic mutation that took place in the 1960s. That sounds like a thing that might happen. 

Earned or hereditary titles are used for formal events or introductions, and/or any place or event that the person has been invited to because of their title. In this story, we have:

Sir Winchester - John  
Dame Winchester - Mary (by marriage)

Father Milton - Zachariah  
(Mister Milton - Charles; one does not marry and obtain this title)

As for the houses, they are based, in my mind, very loosely off the following. Keep in mind, they would be much smaller. I just like the aesthetic. 

John and Mary - Blenheim Palace  
Zachariah and Charles - Hardwick Hall  
Dean and Castiel - Chatsworth  
Sam and Gabriel - Hatfield House

If anything else comes to mind I’ll try to give you all an update.


	2. The First Day

Sam had never felt romantic affection towards a male. That’s not to say he had anything against it, or even that he wouldn’t consider taking one as his omega wife. But it truly was the only thing he managed to think about in the carriage on his way to meet his intended. 

Of course, Sam had to admit to himself, he had only felt that sort of attachment to a scant few omegas. Only one did he ever think he was going to marry. Miss Moore had turned down his proposal just under a year ago. Although it effected her reputation much marathon his own, Sam remembered the distinct sting or her rejection, and still felt the dull ache whenever he found himself thinking about it. 

When his father brought up the idea of an arranged marriage some months ago, Sam only felt hollow. It was so different than what he expected his life to be like. Having asked John to allow him time to think, Sam had gone to his brother. Dean’s house was stately, but modest enough to be comfortable, and he and his mate were more than happy to have him over for lunch. It was only by Dean’s reassurance and Castiel’s insistence that Mister Milton was kind and would make a good mate, that Sam formally accepted his father’s request. 

Gabriel Milton was an omega of good blood and waning money. At least, his family was. Sam thanked his luck that Mister Milton was Castiel’s cousin, and so he was able to get a better idea of the circumstances surrounding his rather abrupt arrangement. As Sam understood it, the Milton family was, generations ago, filled with Dukes and Earls and Knights. Through happenstance or ill-considered action, Sam didn’t know, but at this point the family found themselves as third-class citizens. Not anything dishonorable in Sam’s mind—Zachariah Milton had been a man of the cloth, and Sam was sure that his omega wife, Charles, was heavily involved in the Church’s affairs as well. 

And then Master Milton had suddenly died. Castiel hadn’t known more about that than anyone else, but he did know that the fallout was steeper than it should have been, and now the remaining Miltons were met with social and financial difficulty. 

Charles Milton née Shurley had four children, all of whom were sons, two of whom were yet unmated, and only one of which was an omega. Faced with increasing uncertainty in their family’s little existence, Charles had hurriedly reached out to a friend of his from Sunday choir rehearsals. A person that, he knew, had good means as well as good sons, and whose family resided comfortably. Dame Mary Winchester, wife of Sir Jonathan Winchester, whose family belonged to the Most Noble order and so sustained status as well as wealth. Sam’s father. 

And so, Sam found himself sitting across from his parents in a carriage on his way to meet his future mate. The one he’d be marrying tomorrow. 

His mother, seeming to sense his growing trepidation, leaned forward and placed a hand on his knee. 

“It’s going to be fine, dear. Try to calm down,” she said with a smile. 

Sam took a deep breath and tried to do as he was told. “Sorry.” 

“Don’t be sorry, Sam. It’s expected that you be a bit nervous.”

“It is, but try to control yourself.” John, quiet for most of the ride, chose then to break into the conversation. “Omegas can be a bit skittish—” he broke off abruptly as Mary swatted his arm. “—Not all, but some—” he said, trying to placate her. “—and a nervous alpha puts off quite a stench. Don’t want to scare the poor thing.” With this, Mary seemed to agree. 

Sam spent the remainder of the trip worrying over how much he was worrying, and therefore ensuring a tense first meeting for the couple. 

III

 

Milton Manor was stately, Sam had to admit. Tall windows on weathered grey stone walls made for something of an imposing image. Grand as it was, Sam was struck by the lack of color. The garden, at least what he could see of it, didn’t seem to have a single flower in it. 

Upon arriving at the front doors, Sam looked out the small carriage window to see Dean waiting to greet them. He and Castiel, at Sam’s (and, he suspected, Gabriel’s) insistence had come early enough to offer support through the whole ordeal, not just after the marriage. Mr. Milton had been kind enough to offer the whole (small) Winchester family a place to stay through the days of the, ahem. Festivities. As long as etiquette was adhered to, no one found this to be a problem. He certainly had enough room for both his family and the Winchesters. 

A footman opened the door and Sam exited to take Dean’s hand in a hearty shake. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he said, hushed.

Dean pat him on the shoulder. “Wouldn’t miss it. And you’re going to be fine.”

The family made their way inside. Sam, again, was enraptured with the marble and gold details before realizing it was odd, the lack of furnishings. They were lead to a drawing room, in which stood the man Sam knew to be Charles, two younger, tall alphas who Sam presumed were his sons, and a thin omega woman standing near Charles.

Charles turned upon their entry and smiled warmly. “Master and Madam Winchester, thank you for coming.”

Mary smiled and approached Charles, taking his hands in hers. “Of course! Thank you for offering your home to us.”

“It’s my pleasure.” He turned to Sam, Dean, and John then, and bowed slightly. “Masters Winchester, let me introduce you to my sons,” he held out his hand to the two tall alphas, who stepped forward. “Michael, and Raphael.” The two inclined their heads slightly at the mentions of their names. Charles then introduced the woman. “And Anna, Michael’s wife. My second son, Lucifer, is regrettably unable to attend.”

John only nodded. “I see. That is regrettable, but hopefully the ceremony can still be a joyful one. I know my son is looking forward to meeting yours.” 

Sam did his best to make his smile convincing. It wasn’t a total lie, he supposed; he did want to meet Gabriel. And it was polite of everyone not to mention the anxious scent he was sure to be giving off, despite the scented oils on his skin. 

Charles clasped his hands. “Ah, yes. Forgive him, he and Castiel are still upstairs.” He looked to Anna, then. “Would you please inform them that our guests have arrived?” There was something in his voice that, to Sam sounded like he was saying something more along the lines of _tell my son to get down here and behave_. But of course Sam would never say so. 

Anna curtsied. “One moment.” And she left. 

Sam soon found himself and Dean mingling with the two other alpha brothers as their parents went on discussing things Sam really didn’t care to know. 

Michael, it would appear, was rather direct. “Sam,” he greeted, “it is good of you to come, and to accept our family’s offer.”

“Oh,” Sam choked out, “I—of course.”

Dean, bless him, came to his rescue. “It truly is fortuitous on the accounts of both our families. I’m sure they’ll get along wonderfully.”

“Hopefully so.” 

Sam turned to Raphael as he spoke. Both of these brothers were rather severe, but where Michael took on an air of cold detachment, Raphael seemed like he almost enjoyed seeing Sam jump a tiny bit. 

Sam shook himself out of it. “What do you mean?”

Michael cut in before Raphael could answer. He leveled his brother with a look. “Nothing, of course. Never you mind.”

Raphael spoke anyway. It seemed to Sam like he was holding back whatever comment he was going to make before, and instead he said, “I just hope you understand that sometimes young omegas need a bit of training. Gabriel has not quite grown out of his childhood. Don’t be afraid to assert your dominance.”

To say Sam was taken aback would be an understatement. Of course, he was aware that some old families held tightly to rather archaic opinions regarding omegas. The Alpha was still the head of the household, but most people had come to treat omegas as people, at the absolute least. And here, Michael was discussing his youngest brother like currency. Raphael seemed to think of him as some kind of pet. 

Before anything else could be said, Anna returned with Castiel in tow, as well as one more omega who Sam could safely assume was Gabriel himself. “Masters and Missus Winchester,” Charles spoke, “this is my omega son, Mister Gabriel Milton.”

Gabriel bowed deeply and Sam took the opportunity to look at the man who would be his mate. That he was a small little omega was the first thing Sam noticed; Sam thought that he might meet his shoulders. Slim, too, by the looks of things. His hair was combed neatly back, and was a lovely shade of dark golden blonde. When Gabriel looked in his direction, Sam caught a glimpse of the most unique eyes he’d ever seen. 

Well. His intended was certainly lovely. Suddenly some of his trepidation about marrying a male omega disappeared. 

It was only after this realization that Sam was able to notice more distressing things about Gabriel’s appearance. He was indeed thin—too thin, really. Sam could smell from his spot a few good paces away from him that Gabriel was wearing a lot of floral scented oils, which was done in polite company, of course, but never _this much_. It was meant to dull the effect of one’s scent on others, but Gabriel seemed to want his scent masked completely. Gabriel, having been introduced to Sam while the alpha himself had been very distracted, turned to face Sam fully and muttered “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Winchester,” with a wavering smile. Sam could see the fading redness around his eyes and nose. Gabriel had been crying. 

Sam was nervous again. And what’s more, his baser instincts, which went ignored most of the time, flared at the thought of something hurting this little omega in any way. He managed to fend off a blush at the thought that, at least their biologies seemed to be compatible. 

There were going to have tea in the garden. It was a nice enough day, early spring but not chilly. But Sam knew this was less about the weather and more about trying to get Sam and Gabriel to speak to each other. They didn’t, throughout the light chatter of afternoon tea. Sam said very little and Gabriel said nothing at all. 

It was Castiel, actually, who got things moving in the right direction. After everyone had finished their tea, he said to Dean, “It’s lovely out. Walk with me?”

Dean of course said yes, and Castiel turned to his little cousin. “Join us, won’t you, Gabriel? Sam?”

It was slightly less than subtle, but then, they were getting married tomorrow. There was no real time for subtlety.

Sam stood and offered his hand to Gabriel. “Would you care to accompany me, Mister Milton?”

Gabriel blushed and only glanced briefly up at him, but accepted. Gabriel’s gloved hand was so small, Sam fleetingly worried he’d crush the delicate thing. 

The stroll through the garden was nice enough, but Sam was once again struck by the lack of flowers. The lawn was neatly kept, and the hedges were trimmed to perfection, and the maze and fountains were wonderful to look at, but there was no color. 

Sam glanced down at the omega by his side. Gabriel belonged in a garden of color, he decided. 

Dean and Castiel were close enough to see, but far enough to give each couple the illusion of privacy. For which Sam was grateful. Especially so as Gabriel finally seemed to open up. At another lull in their small talk, Sam said, “Tell me a bit about yourself, Mister Milton.”

Gabriel took a breath and shrugged. “There’s not much to tell, I suppose.” He still kept his eyes downcast, and Sam was disappointed. They really were beautiful eyes. 

Not wanting to scare the poor thing further—and he _was_ scared, any idiot could see that—Sam just started talking. “Well, there’s not much for me, either. But, I do like to read. I enjoy music as well, though I’m no good at it. In both cases I must admit that my taste is a bit dated, which I hope you can excuse.”

Gabriel, blessedly, perked up a bit. “…I can play the pianoforte. And the harp, to an extent. If—if ever you’d like me to.”

Sam smiled. Genuinely smiled. “I’d enjoy that very much,” he said. And then, curiously, “What do you mean, you play the harp ‘to an extent?’”

“Only that I began learning some years ago, but Father had to sell mine.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. He had his reasons.”

Sam furrowed his brow and inwardly wanted to challenge each of those reasons individually. But now was neither the time nor the place. Seeing a stone bench up ahead, Sam insisted that the two of them take a break from walking. 

Gabriel sat primly, still with his eyes down, and Sam sat a respectable distance away—as much as could be achieved on a bench. Sam looked around them. Dean and Castiel were laughing together a ways away, by the edge of the small lake on the property. The sun was getting low, and the yellow light of late afternoon complimented the omega breathtakingly. “Mister Milton,” Sam said gently, “look at me, please?”

Gabriel, to his credit, only hesitated for a fraction of a second before doing as requested. The omega was doing a notable job at containing his feelings, for which Sam was equally impressed and frustrated. He took Gabriel’s hand in his again. “May I speak frankly?”

Gabriel nodded, though he seemed wary. 

“Mister Milton, I am…rather overwhelmed with the current circumstances. I won’t pretend otherwise. I’m sure you are, too.” He continued at Gabriel’s small nod. “But I am determined not to let the rushed nature of our union disrupt what I hope will be at least a companionable marriage. If I’m honest, I’d quite like a happy one. I…I think you and I could be happy together, Mister Milton.”

Sam was struck breathless with the hope dawning in Gabriel’s eyes. The omega held his free hand to his mouth, gathering himself before speaking. “I…that would make me very happy, Master Winchester.” And Sam internally rejoiced at the honestly he saw in Gabriel’s statement. The omega’s slim shoulders slumped in what Sam could only assume was relief. For what exactly, Sam didn’t know, but he was determined to make sure that Gabriel felt secure around him. If nothing else, an Alpha should be able to do that. 

Squeezing the hand in his ever so slightly, Sam waited until Gabriel’s eyes once again met his before saying, “I need you to know…I have no knowledge of what your feelings are of alphas, or what you’ve been told of…of mating and marriage. But I need you to know that I mean to protect you, and provide for you as best as I can. I promise you at least that much.”

Tears escaped Gabriel’s eyes then, and the little omega put forth a valiant effort to hold back his cries. Sam offered him his handkerchief, which he gratefully took. Sam wished with all his heart that he could hold him, comfort him, at that moment. 

When Gabriel regained his composure, he said, in a small but sweet voice, “Thank you for saying so. I…you don’t know what it means that you…” He couldn’t seem to form an end to that thought, so he said, instead, “I’ll be a good omega. I promise you. I-I owe you more than you know—”

“Now now, none of that,” Sam cut him off gently. “We’re in this together, alright?”

Gabriel nodded once more and closed his eyes against a second onslaught of tears. Sam brought Gabriel’s hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles. “We’re going to be okay.”


	3. The Second Day

All things considered, Sam expected a larger turnout. 

That’s not to say that Sam necessarily wanted one, or that he thought people ought to travel only due to obligation. But, as Sam looked over the congregation in the church, he saw more of his friends and family there than Gabriel’s. Considering Sam really only had three family members, four counting Robert, that was…odd. He had understood Gabriel’s family to be extensive. But here they were, at Gabriel’s parish standing before the new Father, and only Gabriel’s immediate family and some cousins—including Castiel—had shown up. There were others there as well, those who attended this parish regularly, and who were looking on with a sort of detached fondness. 

He didn’t remember much of the ceremony itself, but he remembered looking up from meddling with his cuffs and seeing Gabriel there in front of him. Quite honestly, he looked radiant. He wore a gown, off-white with golden embroidery. When he looked at his face, he was met with those lovely eyes looking up at him. Some of yesterday’s fear was still there, but Sam was pleased to see a tiny spark of hope there as well. It seemed like their brief chat yesterday had made some sort of impact, after all. 

He remembered sliding the ring onto Gabriel’s finger; a golden band with a row of five tiny pearls. Gabriel had held his hand out, looking at it like it was a creature from another world. When Sam squeezed his free hand to get his attention, Gabriel had looked up at him, startled. His mouth trotted into the smallest of smiles, and Sam returned it, hoping to reassure the omega of…well, of whatever he needed reassurance with. 

They’d gone back to the Manor for the breakfast, as had everyone who had shown up for the new couple. Gabriel sat always to Sam’s right, though Sam noticed the constant presence of Castiel on Gabriel’s other side. Congratulations were given and pleasantries exchanged. Sam’s mind was elsewhere. 

What he did notice, was Gabriel saying goodbye to his family just before the two of them were to leave. While Sam stood back by the carriage ready to take them away, Gabriel hesitated briefly before breaking social convention and hugging his omega mother right there, for everyone to see. It earned a couple of scoffs, but most people, Sam included, seemed to feel for the little omega. Gabriel buried his face in Charles’ shoulder, and in return Charles held him tightly for a good few seconds. Charles might have whispered something to Gabriel, but Sam could not make it out. 

Gabriel pulled away and turned to face his two brothers. He ducked his head while they considered him. 

“I wish you well, Gabriel. And I commend you for your choice to follow through with this marriage.” That was Michael: kind words, cold demeanor. 

“Obey your Alpha, Gabriel,” said Raphael. “If Lucifer were here, he’d tell you the same.”

Sam didn't know what weighed those words down, but they were menacing in their casual delivery, and Gabriel shrank beneath them. Sam looked to his side at Castiel and Dean, the former shaking his head hopelessly while the latter shrugged. 

“…Thank you for your guidance, brothers,” said Gabriel, and he curtsied. With one last glance to Charles, Gabriel returned to Sam’s side. “I’m ready to go, when you are.”

Sam, still a bit confused, only nodded. He opened the carriage door for Gabriel, who climbed in. Sam had already said his goodbyes, but he clasped Dean’s hand in his once more before following the—his—omega. 

“Sammy,” Dean said, in a low voice. “You’ll be fine. Alright? Take a breath. I’ll see you in a week.”

Sam breathed, as asked. He grinned at Dean. “Thanks.” And, with nothing more that could be said, he entered the carriage. 

They sat across from each other, in the carriage. As it began to move—driven by one of John’s footmen, who insisted that his name was Ash—Gabriel and Sam sat in a silence that was not quite companionable, yet not cold. It was charged with…something. Something that Sam couldn’t name. 

He observed Gabriel as the omega looked out the window at the countryside passing by in the afternoon sun. He was still wearing his gown. Sam had to wonder exactly how comfortable that was. He was wringing his gloves in his hands, and biting his lip every now and then. When Sam spotted him twirling his ring around his finger, he decided to stop avoiding everything. 

“Lucky that the weather turned out as it did,” he said, and mildly cursed himself for failing to come up with a better topic of conversation. 

Gabriel whipped his head around to look at Sam. “Oh. Yes, I suppose so, Sir. Er…Master?..”

“Sam. We are married, you may call me Sam.” Gabriel nodded a bit, and Sam reigned in his frustration at whomever had given Gabriel reason to think that was how this was going to work. Pushing those thoughts aside for now, he went on. “The breakfast went a little longer than I thought it would,” Sam returned. “We won’t be arriving…arriving home until evening.” He said the word _home_ carefully. They were on their way to what had once been the Singer family’s country home. This house would serve as their getaway as a newlywed couple for this first week, and then eventually become theirs. It was a gift from Robert, who had no children, and insisted upon treating Sam and Dean like his own. It was only a couple of hours away, but Sam wasn’t lying when he said that the breakfast ran long—why, he didn’t know. No one had seemed to be all that invested in the event itself, only what it signified.

Gabriel stiffened slightly and looked passed Sam to the wall of the carriage. “Yes, I…I suppose.”

Sam was at a loss. Gabriel was, again, wearing an almost obscene amount of perfume, and he had no idea how to tell what the omega was thinking. 

Gabriel seemed to notice his confusion though, because he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m not—I’m usually much more…I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

Sam nodded. “It’s understandable. I meant what I said, though. Yesterday.”

“I think I believe you.”

Sam supposed that was the best he could realistically hope for at this point. So, he pushed on. “May I ask, then, what it is you’re afraid of?”

At Gabriel’s blush, Sam had a pretty good guess. Sam wondered what they taught omegas, these days. More specifically, he wondered who had taught Gabriel what he’d need to know; his mother, or his brothers? His father? Sam was pretty sure that depending on that answer, Gabriel’s expectations could vary dramatically. 

“I…told you that I’d take care of you. Remember that part?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll do my best. In every aspect.”

They were both blushing by this point, though Gabriel actually seemed more relaxed, if only marginally. He nodded and looked away again, yawning.

Sam looked out the window. By the look of things, they still had quite a bit of time before making it t their new home. Seeing Gabriel yawn, Sam moved over to make space next to him. 

“Would you like to…that is to say, you can…you must be tired.” Well done, Sam thought. 

“Oh,” Gabriel said, “well, I…I must admit that I didn’t sleep very well.”

Sam patted the space next to him. “Sit here? You can rest against me, if you’d like.” Sam ignored the heat he felt on his face, and smiled. “I promise not to do anything indecent.”

Gabriel’s face was bright red, too, but after a moment’s thought, he gathered his skirts and hopped over to the opposite seat. Smoothing out his skirt, he glanced shyly at Sam. “I…beg your pardon…” 

Sam only smiled as kindly as he could, and held out his hand palm-up. Gabriel placed his hand in Sam’s, and finally sighed as he gave in and rested against Sam’s side. He buried his face into Sam’s shoulder, nuzzling against the alpha in his tiredness. Sam ran his thumb over Gabriel’s smaller hand as the omega fell asleep. 

The rest of the carriage ride was spent in sleepy silence. Sam himself dozed for a few minutes. 

As the sun was sinking towards the horizon, the carriage pulled to a stop. Sam looked out the window as they pulled into the long driveway. Gently, he nudged Gabriel’s side until the little omega stirred awake. 

“We’re here, darling.” Sam said it accidentally, but he found he liked the endearment coming from his mouth. If Gabriel noticed or cared, he didn’t show it. 

Gabriel blinked his eyes as he took in his surroundings, and then looked outside as well. “Oh, my…”

“Do you like it?” Sam asked. “Of course, you can add your own touches to it. It is your home. But I think it’s rather nice, and a very generous gift from my Uncle.” 

Gabriel, now far from tired, smiled brightly. “It’s lovely! And, oh, the garden…”

The extensive garden was indeed a sight to behold. Slightly overgrown, but Sam thought it looked better that way; the springtime had brought forth blooming flowers of every color, every hue. The greenery overtook parts of the house’s facade, intwining with the brick and the wrought iron lattice panels. 

Sam thought himself right. Gabriel was well suited for such a garden. 

He opened the carriage door and climbed out, holding a hand for Gabriel to take. Once his feet met earth again, Gabriel took to wandering around, studying the house with innocent curiosity. Sam found himself staring after him. 

He was startled out of his stupor by Ash. “Where would you like the luggage, sir?”

“Oh. Ah, the master bedroom, if you’d please. Would you like me to help?”

Ash waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. I can handle two trunks, no problem.” And he was suddenly trotting off, a trunk in each hand, taking the steps up to the front door two at a time. 

Sam raised an eyebrow, but grinned a bit. Shaking his head, he looked about for Gabriel. The omega stood not far off, looking up at the grand entrance to the house. He held his armed about himself, and appeared to be shivering though the weather was mild. His face was blank in quiet contemplation.

Sam furrowed his brow in concern, and approached. “Gabriel,” he said, “are you well? Is anything wring?”

Gabriel looked to him and shook his head. “No, no. I just…” He took a deep breath. “…It just seems so real, all of the sudden.” His left hand fidgeted, thumb twisting the ring around his third finger.

Sam placed a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. The two of them shared a look and a small, unsure smile. Sam gently pulled Gabriel towards him, and the house. 

“Come on,” he said, “Let’s get settled in.” 

Ash exited the house as they approached the entryway. They thanked him, and offered him a place to spend the night. Ash jovially declined, wished them well, and was off again with the carriage. 

Sam and Gabriel found themselves alone as the sun dipped below the garden hedges. A charged silence settled between them for a moment. 

“Well,” Sam said, “We should probably…”

“Oh, yes—um…” Gabriel seemed to fall over himself trying to find his words. “I’ll…get dinner started…?”

“That sounds wonderful, thank you.” Sam lead them into the house. “Bobby said the kitchen should be fully stocked. Make whatever you’d like.”

Gabriel smiled a bit. As he hurried off to find the kitchen, Sam took a look at the walls around him. The interior of the house was as inviting as the outside, if not more so. Warm wooden detail, checkered floors, beautiful filigreed ceiling. It certainly was a lovely house. The size, Sam thought with only a little trepidation, would easily accommodate a family. 

Sam supposed he should get himself used to the idea. Being married now, he and Gabriel would mate. Tonight, maybe. A mating heat and the subsequent mating would all but ensure a pregnancy. Biology had made it a quick progression from being single to being a parent. 

He looked toward where Gabriel had headed. There was no doubt in his mind that the omega was nervous about this whole thing. though they barely knew each other, Sam was sure that there wasn’t a decent alpha out there who would be able to ignore his slightly behavior. Sam wanted to help him calm down. Seeing as Gabriel was his Omega wife, Sam thought that made it his duty to do so. 

Now the only problem was finding a way to breach the subject. 

Sam wandered off in the direction he assumed the kitchen was, taking in more of the architecture. On the way, he passed a wind of the house which Uncle Bobby had told him he’d find a study and, if he remembered correctly, a library. Perhaps Gabriel would like to explore that with him, later. 

He did eventually stubby upon the kitchen, and found Gabriel preparing a chicken, cutting it into small pieces. The omega looked up at his arrival. “Oh, Sam! I…I thought a nice fricassee would be good for a late meal. I-I’m not…I mean, I could prepare a full course meal, I didn’t really plan very well but I can certainly put something together and—”

Sam smiled kindly, and made sure to tilt his neck just so, hoping that Gabriel would catch his scent and relax. “Don’t worry yourself with that. It’s only the two of us. Chicken fricassee sounds delicious, thank you.” 

Gabriel nodded and went back to work. Sam glanced around the small kitchen. His eyes landed on a bag in the corner of the counter. He approached it curiously. 

Opening the drawstring bag, he pulled out a container. Opening that, he found what looked to be… “Is this tea?”

Gabriel turned around sharply, and Sam was struck by the bright blush that once again adorned his face. “Um. Yes.”

“…Alright. Special tea?”

Gabriel floundered for a moment before turning back to the chicken. “A friend of yours told me she’d left it here. Miss Barnes. It’s, well…there, um, should be a note.”

Sam looked in the bag again. Sure enough, there was a letter written in haphazard yet lovely penmanship. A short moment of reading gave Sam the answer he needed. “…oh.”

Sam found himself stricken, but then he figured he shouldn’t be surprised by Pamela anymore. 

It was a fertility tea. Fertili-tea, the snarky omega had written. Sam could read the wit in her voice as clear as day. 

He said again, “Oh.”

“Mhmm.”

Sam caught the quiver in Gabriel’s voice from that little syllable, and he looked up to see Gabriel wiping his hands dry, facing him but avoiding his eyes. He was blinking entirely too quickly. “I will—s-she said I should drink it about an hour before, um…before. Just…let me know when y-you’d like to get ready for b-bed—”

Sam stopped Gabriel’s speech with a hand under his chin, coaxing him to look up and meet his eyes. “How about we discuss this after dinner. I’m in no hurry, you needn’t feel pressured.”

Gabriel’s entire frame relaxed. “Alright.”

“Good. Now, is there anything I can help prepare?”

III

Dinner was pleasant. After attempting to help Gabriel in the kitchen—which had the omega wide-eyed to begin with—Sam resolved to better his own skills. Sam, by way of apology for delaying their meal further, cleaned up.

They took a walk about their new home. To Sam’s delight, Gabriel was just as excited about the library as he was. They’d also both been taken with the grand dining room and the ballroom. 

By the time they’d reached a lull in their conversation, it was almost nine o’clock. By unspoken agreement, they’d gone back to the kitchen, and Gabriel prepared and drank the tea. Both he and Sam were blushing spectacularly, but neither mentioned anteing and they kept the focus of their conversation on other matters. 

After, they slowly made their way to their bedrooms. The two rooms were opposite each other in the hallway. As Sam and Gabriel stood in between doorways, the silence changed from companionable to something heavier. Sam, glancing down at Gabriel, gathered that the omega would not be the one to make any attempt at leading the following action; the poor thing was nearly shivering.

Sam cleared his throat. “Well,” he said,” I will, uh…I will be with you…shortly.”

Gabriel only nodded curtly and scampered into his bedroom, shutting the door. 

Sam, entering his own bedroom, let out an unsteady breath. He threw off his coat, cravat, and vest, loosening his shirt. Spying a mirror able the dark wooden dresser, he leaned against it and stared at his reflection; he was quite a sight. His hair was mussed—evidently he’d been running his fingers through it—and his eyes were wild. He was quite honestly the very image of an overwhelmed man. 

There was a bowl of water (likely filled by Uncle Bobby’s housekeeper, Ellen, earlier in the week) and a cloth. Wetting the cloth, Sam set about rubbing the oils off his neck, unbuttoning his shirt further. That through, he wrestled with himself for a while over what he should wear. What would be appropriate? Expected? Was he to be entirely ready for bed, dressed in a nightshirt, or was he as presentable as he should be, given that the process of undressing, redressing, and undressing again seemed a bit too much. 

Sam shook his head. He was thinking entirely too hard, he decided. Nervous he may be, but he could do this. He removed his boots, leaving his stockings on. Deciding that this was as good as he was going to get, he then set about wondering how long was long enough in waiting for Gabriel to be ready, and when Sam should knock on his door. After long minutes of standing stock-still in his bedroom, Sam shook himself again and took a deep breath. 

Exiting his room, he knocked on the opposite door. A quiet “come in” was heard, and Sam turned the doorknob and entered. Immediately, he was his with a wave of Omega pheromones, and his inner Alpha was brought to the forefront. But not in the way one might expect from newlyweds. 

For a brief, primal moment, all Sam could process were thoughts of **_Danger!_** and **_Protect!_** Without meaning to, Sam rushed to the small omega sitting on the edge of the bed and drew him into his arms. Only then did he regain a little of his cognitive functions, and drew back from Gabriel enough to check him over quickly. Gabriel sat leniently in Sam’s arms, dressed in only a chemise—which Sam certainly had trouble ignoring—and very much _not_ wearing his oils and perfumes. 

A moment of thought told Sam that there was, in fact, no danger; but that Gabriel was very distressed, which is why his Alpha had reacted so. Sam’s head swam with the sweetness of the scent that permeated the room. Not that he’d gotten his head back, he could actually take note of the enticing, saccharine smell of Gabriel. It was bitter and sour now, to an extent, with Gabriel’s emotions rocking as they were. Sam, unwilling to let go of the omega, sat next to him on the bed. He held him against his chest, and Gabriel simply let him. The poor little thing was shaking. 

“Hey, hey, shhh…” Sam soothed. Gabriel, at length, brought a hand up and fisted it into Sam’s shirt, burying his nose in his chest. His shaking shoulders under Sam’s hands spoke of his suppressed sobs. “There now, there’s nothing to be afraid of, dearheart. It’s just me.”

Gabriel sniffled. “I know, I know. I’m _sorry…_ ”

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” Sam held him for a while longer, waiting for Gabriel to draw away. When he finally did, the omega looked away shyly and sniffled one more time. 

“I…I really am sorry. I don’t know what came over m-me.”

Sam rubbed Gabriel’s arm, trying to catch his eye. “Are you alright? You nervous?”

Gabriel nodded. “Y-yes, I am. And I don’t…it’s not because of you, I hope you understand.”

“I do.”

“I just…” Here, Gabriel faltered. “It’s nothing. I’m sorry. Let’s…l-let’s get on with it, then, I suppose.” He made to face Sam more fully. 

“Are you sure?” Sam asked, dubiously. Gabriel was putting up a valiant face, but the scent of unsure, scared omega was still prominent. “I don’t want to take advantage of you, Gabriel.”

Gabriel looked doubtful. “But…I am yours.”

Once again, Sam cursed in his mind whoever had had a hand in teaching Gabriel about how marriages were supposed to work. “Yes, and I will respect your wishes.” When he was met with silence, Sam thought it best to bring up their options. “If you’d prefer, we could, erm…wait?”

“…Wait?”

“Yes. We…we have a week, and the m-mating heat will only last a few days, at most. We don’t have to do anything now.”

Gabriel bit his lip, looking doubtful. Sam took that as an affirmative answer. 

“How about we…revisit this tomorrow?” He suggested. “I’m quite tired myself, I’m sure you are too. It’s been a long day.”

Gabriel nodded hesitantly. “I…alright. If you’re s-sure.”

“ I am. But…” Here, Sam faltered. He didn’t want to leave Gabriel; his Alpha instinct was begging him to stay with him and protect him. He was only worried about how the omega would react. “…would you consider…that is, could we…”

Gabriel, apparently picking up on what he was trying to say, leaned in enough to nuzzle very lightly and very cautiously at Sam’s collar bone. “…W-would you like to stay?”

“Would that be alright with you? Please, be honest.”

Gabriel nodded and looked up at him sweetly. “I…do trust you.”

Sam rejoiced at that. He smiled and nuzzled Gabriel’s cheek in return. “Allow me to go change. Thank you for this.”

“Of course.”

With one last look at his Omega wife, Sam hurried back across the hall. He changed into his nightshirt and snuffed out the gas lights before heading back to Gabriel’s room. He knocked again. “Gabriel?”

The door was opened for him by the omega in question. He now wore a much more covering nightdress, with long sleeves and a hem that swept the floor. “Hello. Uh, come in.”

Sam smiled his thanks and walked into the room, trying to keep his blush under control. Turing back to Gabriel, he was met with the smaller man looking doubtful again. 

“…Sam,” he said, “are you sure that you don’t…I mean, I’ve already had the tea, and—”

“Gabriel—”

“—it really isn’t my p-place to refuse…I shouldn’t have—”

“Hey,” Sam stopped him with hands on both of Gabriel’s shoulders, ducking down to catch his eye. “It _is_ your place. It is _absolutely_ your place.” 

Sam waited a few long moments for Gabriel to be sure. As soon as he nodded, Sam blew out the candle on the nightstand and circled to the other side of the bed. He crawled in first, making sure to leave generous room for Gabriel, and laid on his back. Gabriel followed him, climbing under the covers and curling up on his side, facing Sam. As soon as his head hit the pillow, Gabriel’s eyes fluttered in exhaustion. 

“You alright?” Sam asked quietly. 

Gabriel whispered back, “I am.”

Sam laid a hand out at his side, palm upwards. Gabriel slid his smaller hand once again into Sam’s and closed his eyes. 

Sam averted his gaze, but stayed awake until he scented Gabriel’s emotions even out, and heard his breathing deepen. 

Gently squeezing Gabriel’s hand, Sam felt a smile creep onto his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetaed. Also, I'm having a little trouble with the formatting transferring over--words and letters are disappearing. I think I caught most of them, but if there are any glaring mistakes, feel free to let me know.


	4. The Third Day

That his arm was in agony was the first thing Sam’s waking mind could focus on. Well, not agony, really. But a severe, numb tingling itched at his fingers and clawed up above his elbow. 

The second thing he realized was that he couldn’t move it. Blinking his eyes open, he was deeply startled for a moment at the sight of another body next to him. In the next instant, he remembered the events of the days prior, but his heart skipped a beat all the same. 

Gabriel, in his sleep, had rolled to that he was closer to Sam, but facing away from him. And using the alpha’s arm as a pillow. His small hand grasped at Sam’s wrist, and his hair pooled over the appendage and the pillow beneath. The omega’s scent was sweet and inviting, and altogether he looked much too adorable. Sam was loathe to wake him…but damn it all, his _arm!_

Bringing his free arm across, he gently shook his partner. “Gabriel? Hey…” Gabriel groaned in his sleep and nestled himself more firmly into the crook of Sam’s elbow. The alpha shook him a little harder, raising his voice. “Gabriel, I just need my arm back. Hello?”

Evidently, that had done the trick. Unable to see Gabriel’s face, Sam was only aware the omega had woken up when he heard the loud gasp and Gabriel scrambled away. Or, well, he didn’t scramble in any particular direction, he just…scrambled. As it was, he only ended up throwing himself against Sam. When the alpha let out a surprised huff, Gabriel jumped the other way. It was Sam’s quick grasp on his nightdress that kept Gabriel from throwing himself off the bed. 

The movement stopped, and they stared at each other. Sam, spread out across the entire bed, feet thrown off the mattress in an attempt to steady himself; Gabriel, leaning away and bent almost wholly backwards over his legs and the edge of the bed itself, held precariously in place by Sam’s hand clutching at the shoulder of his nightclothes. 

“…Good morning,” Sam said. 

“Ahem. Good morning.”

Sam tugged Gabriel back so the omega knelt on the bed. Sam sat up. Glancing at each other, they both let out indelicate chortles at what had just happened. Gabriel turned pink and hid his face in his hands. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “I-I forgot that…”

Sam chuckled and waved away the concern. “Don’t apologize. It was…rather amusing.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow and peered over his clasped fingers. Sam only laughed more. Gabriel dropped his hands and cracked a smile. 

As Sam calmed down, he saw Gabriel duck his head, hiding another blush. Sam reached an arm out to touch his shoulder. 

“Hey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

“Oh, no! No, it isn’t that. It’s—um…”

Sam leaned in closer, trying to catch his eye. “It’s alright. You can tell me,” he said, kindly.

Gabriel’s blush brightened. “It’s only that—I mean, I hope you don’t mind me saying, you…y-you smell nice.” By the end of the sentence Gabriel’s voice was almost a whisper, and he was looking anywhere but at Sam, but the alpha heard. 

“Oh. Oh! Well, ah, thank you.” Sam’s inner Alpha puffed up in pride, happy in the knowledge that his scent was attractive to this omega. Sam’s own cheeks turned a bit pink, too. “I…happen to think you smell wonderful.”

It wasn’t a lie. Gone was the sourness of fear, and now Sam could smell Gabriel properly. It was a scent that reminded him entirely of his mother’s Christmas dessert—sugar cookies and rum cake; gingerbread, too, and just a hint of tarts. There was the faint smell of lavender in there as well, and under it all was the indescribable, beacon-like smell that was inherent to omegas. It warmed him from the inside out. 

Gabriel’s eyes widened just a fraction, and he bit his lip to stifle a smile. “Thank you,” he said. He then tilted his head just so, as an invitation for his alpha to scent him. It was what was done in the mornings—as both parties would be applying scented oils, scenting one’s mate was something that parents discretely counseled their sons and daughters to do when they were to be married. Once they left the bed, they’d not smell each other in earnest until they entered it again. As the two of them were’t mated yet, the scenting probably wasn’t as necessary, but Sam would be damned if he let such an offer go unappreciated. 

Sam ducked low, enough to nuzzle under Gabriel’s jaw and follow it back to his neck, where the scent was strongest. For long moments, Sam and Gabriel simply sat, Sam breathing deeply and rubbing his thumb over Gabriel’s hand. When he’d had enough, Sam pressed a chaste kiss to Gabriel’s cheek and gently pulled the omega forward until Gabriel was resting against Sam’s chest, head on Sam’s shoulder and nose against the alpha’s neck. Gabriel’s hands were grasping at Sam’s shirt, and Sam rubbed Gabriel’s back. 

When Gabriel had finished, he ducked away from Sam bashfully and fumbled out the bedroom door, mumbling about breakfast. Sam sat in bed a moment longer before he stood and ambled to the door to follow. 

III

Breakfast was pleasant, and Sam was once again delighted that Gabriel was an accomplished cook; he was a little embarrassed that he himself was still practically useless in the kitchen, but Gabriel didn’t seem to mind. They’d eaten in their nightclothes, which seemed, to Sam, promisingly domestic.

As they were finishing their meal, a cap of thunder sounded from outside, startling them both. Gabriel, who had been about to gather the dishes, went to the window and pulled the curtain aside. “Huh,” he said, “I didn’t realize it was going to rain.”

Sam hummed in agreement. “Neither did I. Though, now that I think of it, it has been a bit dark this morning.” Secretly, Sam was a bit disappointed. He’d been hoping to take Gabriel on a walk through the garden. He supposed the entire notion was silly, but he truly wanted Gabriel to make the garden his own. Surely he’d put more thought and care into it than Sam ever could, and…to be honest, Sam wanted to see what he’d do with it. Gabriel seemed, to him, like a sensitive and artistic soul, who had never had the chance to properly show it. 

Anyway, it looked like the walk would have to wait. Sam stood and gathered up the dishes that Gabriel had set on the table, and made for the kitchen. “Well, I personally have always enjoyed reading on a rainy day. I’ll handle these, and perhaps we could both get dressed, and I’ll meet you in the library?”

Gabriel smiled at that. “Thank you,” he said, and hurried back towards the stairs. 

On a whim, Sam stopped him. “Ah, Gabriel…” he said, and paused. Gabriel had turned back to face him, one eyebrow raised slightly, the corner of his pretty mouth turned up just a tick. Sam cleared his throat. “Seeing as how it is only you and I, perhaps…well, perhaps we needn’t use the perfumes?” 

Gabriel eyes widened and his cheeks darkened, but he grinned and nodded his assent, before turing back around and heading upstairs. 

III

Although Gabriel had left the drawing room before Sam, the alpha had cleaned the dishes, dressed, and found himself in the library before the omega. The library itself was a little dark, by normal standards, but Sam actually found that he liked it. On a sunnier day, an open curtain would’ve provided more than enough light for company, but Sam was perfectly fine by firelight, and the calm, sodden natural light that filtered through the water and the windows. Waiting for his omega, he started the fire—in perhaps the second most impressive fireplace in the whole manor, after the dining room—before pacing around the room, running his fingers over the spines of books and blowing the dust off of some of the forgotten copies. Prior to the marriage, Sam’s own book collection had been moved here on behalf of Uncle Robert. Robert, not much of a reader himself, had taken some of the titles that held sentimental value before telling Sam that the rest were his. Now the modest library was a mix of tomes he knew almost by heart, as well as titles he’d never heard of. 

Sam wondered then if Gabriel had a book collection. The omega had mentioned liking books, had he not? Glancing around, Sam could see no evidence that another’s book collection had been brought in. The thought saddened him. Though, perhaps all of Gabriel’s things just hadn’t made it there yet. 

It was then that Sam heard footsteps of much smaller feet than his. He turned to see Gabriel enter the library, dressed in a simple ensemble but looking exceedingly lovely all the same; the lilac waistcoat he wore didn’t look to be corseted, and the sleeves of his shirt were loose. The omega tugged on the hem of his waistcoat self-consciously. 

“You look lovely,” Sam said, smiling. Gabriel’s tugging stopped. 

Gabriel approached, eyes skimming over the titles on the shelves as he passed them by. “There are so many.”

Sam nodded. “Most of them were Robert’s, though he’s given them to us with the house. He wasn’t much of a fan of literature, but his late wife was. She acquired quite the collection.”

In the brief silence that followed, Gabriel crouched to get at the lower shelves and pulled out a dusty novel. A smile twitched at his lips as he looked up at Sam. “This was one of my favorites. It’s been so long since I’ve read it…”

Sam tilted his head to read the gilded script on the cover. The Mysteries of Udolpho, it read. “I’m sorry to say I’m not familiar with this book.”

“Oh, it’s…it’s silly, really.” Gabriel made to set the book back down, but Sam intercepted and took it from his hand, instead. Studying the title page, he said, “Ann Radcliffe…I have heard of her. I believe Castiel is a fan of her’s as well?”

“He is. He's the one who let me borrow his copy.” 

Another clap of thunder sounded as Sam began walking toward the plush chaise near the fire, looking to Gabriel to make sure he was following. He sat, and skimmed through the first couple of pages. He glanced up at Gabriel, a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry to say that I’m already failing to meet expectations.”

Startled, Gabriel asked, “What do you mean?”

“I believe I mentioned upon meeting you for the first time that I was an avid reader. Now, here I am only proving to you that I’ve no idea what I’m talking about.”

Gabriel giggled a little, and scooted a breath closer to Sam to take the book back. “I can’t blame you. It’s laden with romance. Omega literature, really.”

“Missus Radcliffe is an omega?”

Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. “She is. It is not mentioned among publishers as far as I can tell. But then, it is public knowledge that she is the wife of William Radcliffe, so…”

Sam nodded. He could see how Gabriel—and Castiel—would be drawn to such a woman. While Castiel had grown up in a household of practical equality, Gabriel showed all the signs of archaic suppression of his secondary sex. “Well, I don’t see why literature itself must have a gender assigned to it. I shall start educating myself on the works of Missus Radcliffe right away.”

Gabriel looked startled. “Really?”

“Yes. I trust your taste in a good story.”

Gabriel beamed, and Sam felt a pleasant pull within his chest. Gabriel tucked a strand of wayward hair behind his ear. “Um. I could read it aloud? If you’d like me to.”

“If you’d be willing, I’d like that very much.”

And so, Gabriel tucked his lithe body against Sam’s on the chaise by the fire, with the alpha’s arm draped over the chair’s back. Sam worried, very briefly, if the heavy rain pattering against the windows would drown out Gabriel’s voice. But when he began speaking, his sweet voice was all Sam could hear. 

“On the pleasant banks of the Garrone, in the province of Gascony, stood, in the year 1584, the chateau of Monsieur St. Albert…”

III

They’d read a good way through the first volume by the time they remembered to have lunch. Hours spent reading had lead to Sam and Gabriel taking turns. Sam, for his part, found his own rendition lacking in expression and familiarity, especially compared to the way Gabriel handled the text. The omega seemed to enjoy it, though, and so Sam was more than happy to read to him. 

After lunch found them strolling through the manor, rather than back in the library. For all Sam had been there before, it had been years, and he struggled to recall every detail he may have noticed in his childhood. Both he and Gabriel were quite taken with the ballroom, and although Sam had never had a knack for hosting, listening to Gabriel rattle on about what it would look like decorated for Christmas, watching the omega twirl around a few times, seeing the bright smile on his face, Sam wondered whether his mother or Castiel would mind terribly if they had one more holiday gathering to attend. 

The ballroom also played host to a harpsichord covered in a heavy sheet. They’d peaked under the sheet to find a beautifully decorated, glossy instrument. Sam, knowing nothing about the topic, could only assume Gabriel’s intense study of it meant that it was impressive. It certainly was, aesthetically. 

However, Gabriel seemed to prefer the pianoforte in the drawing room. It was perhaps not as dazzling, but it sounded nice. When Sam asked, Gabriel had responded by saying, “I can play the instrument well enough, but playing a harpsichord in a grand ballroom makes me feel like I should be someone important. It’s cozier in here.”

Sam wanted to respond that Gabriel was plenty important, but Gabriel began to play a familiar minuet. Sam stilled, wishing to refrain from doing something to cause Gabriel to stop. The omega’s hands moved gracefully over the keys, and Sam was entranced. 

As the song ended, Gabriel seemed to come back to himself from wherever the music took him, and looked down to his lap bashfully. Sam’s gaze softened. He sat beside Gabriel on the small bench. “You’re very accomplished,” he said. 

Gabriel blushed bright pink. “Thank you. I…being the only omega among my brothers, they always had me play for company, or for entertainment. I never minded.” He glanced up to meet Sam’s eyes and chuckled. “…Though, I’ve never been granted the attention you’ve paid me, just now. I’m afraid you’ve gotten me rather flustered.”

Sam, after a moment’s consideration, took Gabriel’s small hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing the omega’s delicate knuckles. “I’m afraid that’s something you’ll have to get used to. I was rather taken by your performance.”

Gabriel’s eyes followed their hands, and he still didn’t look away as Sam lowered them and ran his thumb over Gabriel’s knuckles. He did, carefully, press himself further into Sam’s side, check rubbing against Sam’s shoulder. 

Sam bit back a toothy smile and laid another kiss to Gabriel’s hair. He nodded to himself, though he knew Gabriel must have felt it. “Yes,” he said, to himself or to the omega. It didn’t matter. “Yes, this will be a good marriage.”

Gabriel’s scent spiked in sweetness, and the omega cuddled closer to Sam’s chest as his alpha began to tell stories of his mother, trying to teach the young Sam and Dean how to play the pianoforte…

III

As dinner that night came to a close, Gabriel readied himself a cup of tea. Sam’s alpha buzzed with pleasure at the idea—which was a new, slightly worrying but not unpleasant feeling—yet he still asked, “Gabriel, are you sure? We…we can take another day, if—”

Gabriel approached Sam, stood on his tiptoes, and nuzzled briefly under the alpha’s chin. “I’m sure,” he said. He backed away and went about adding a surprising amount of sugar to the tea. “I am…still nervous, but I’m sure.”

They were both blushing as he drank, but as they went n discussing their brothers and their parents and the decor of the manor, the air was filled with a feeling of anticipation instead of dread, tentative excitement instead of terror. Sam’s alpha-mind could smell the lingering fear in whiffs from Gabriel, but more than that, he sensed a willing omega. With one of Gabriel’s hands clutched around the tea cup and the other grasping delicately at Sam’s own hand over the table, the Sam’s spirits soared. 

III

Sam paced anxiously in his bedroom. He and Gabriel had agreed on his room for the night, and Sam was feeling rather exposed, even if he had only undressed down to his shirt and trousers. The prospect of the night of intimacy that lay ahead was daunting, but Sam found that his mind was more hung up of the thought of biting Gabriel. Primally, he fixated on the idea. He couldn’t put into words how pleased his baser instincts felt at the idea of claiming Gabriel as his mate. But then, he didn’t want to hurt the omega. And what if Gabriel didn’t want to be claimed? It would just be one more mark on a long list of things that Gabriel had been forced into on Sam’s behalf. 

So busy was he that Sam startled when Gabriel clutched at his shirt and pressed himself close. Evidently Sam had missed him knocking on the door, calling his name, and entering the room. In an odd sort of mirror performance from the previous night, Sam wrapped his arms gently around the small, sweet creature in front of him and let the scent of his omega calm him.

After a few long moments, Gabriel shook with quiet laughter. “Isn’t this worrying supposed to be my job?”

A smile itched at Sam’s lips, but rather than answer, he ducked down to kiss Gabriel’s cheek. Sam could smell the returning fear in Gabriel’s scent, and he was loathe to place his worries above those of Gabriel; his omega’s well-being mattered much more, especially considering this whole thing was unavoidable at this point. He was determined to make this, at the very least, a tolerable experience for Gabriel.

The two of them, mutually, moved to the bed and sat on the edge. Gabriel seemed to freeze up here, as though he didn’t know how to proceed (which, Sam knew, was probably the truth and honestly he wasn’t doing much better). A glance over the omega’s form revealed that Gabriel was dressed once again in the revealing chemise from the night before. The fabric was thin, and Sam wondered what it might reveal in higher lighting. Sam’s eyes wandered over the skin of Gabriel’s legs, his shoulders, his graceful neck. When he looked at Gabriel’s face, he was amused to see an intense look of concentration and curiosity. Gabriel’s eyes flicked about between Sam’s face and the V of skin his unbuttoned shirt exposed. 

Gabriel glanced up and met Sam’s eyes, this time questioning. Sam smiled his reassurance, shaky as it was with how exposed he suddenly felt, and felt his heart stutter as Gabriel’s hand came up to explore the skin of Sam’s chest. Sam kept his hands on either of Gabriel’s shoulders, gasping just a bit at the feeling of Gabriel’s fingers dancing against his chest. 

The two locked eyes once more, and something changed. Sam, not caring exactly what had caused it, leaned in and kissed Gabriel’s lips in their first real kiss. Gabriel’s lips were soft and pliant, tentatively kissing Sam back. Pulling away just slightly, Sam watched Gabriel’s face for any kind of reaction. Gabriel’s eyes were closed, eyelashes fluttering and cheeks dusted with pink. Unsure of what that meant, Sam began to pull himself further away. He was startled when, suddenly, Gabriel let out a tiny whine and clutched at his shirt, pulling him back. 

And just like that, it was as though a wall was torn down. Sam’s hands rested at Gabriel’s hip and the nape of his neck, Gabriel’s own arms thrown over the alpha’s shoulders as they kissed. Both were, admittedly, rather unexperienced, but neither of them particularly cared. Sam made that pleasant discovery that Gabriel tasted like he smelled; sweet, warm, and it invigorated Sam, filled him with an airy kind of strength. 

Sam, almost reluctantly, left Gabriel’s mouth and trailed kisses down his chin, to his neck. Gabriel gasped and stiffened, but again, when Sam pulled away, the omega pulled him right back in. Sam encircled Gabriel in his arms and nuzzled his pulse point. The omega was trembling in his hold. “…Gabriel?”

_“Sam,”_ Gabriel breathed, and the way he whispered it was a permission and a question and an exclamation all at once. 

Sam, rather involuntarily, growled deep in his throat. Lost in the heady haze of Alpha instinct and Omega pheromones, he cradled Gabriel in his arms and bit down on the juncture of the omega’s neck and shoulder. 

Gabriel yelped, and tasting the blood in his mouth did Sam no favors in any direction. He hated himself for hurting Gabriel, but his inner alpha had never felt more complete than it did at that moment. Something in his chest tugged, and suddenly, though nothing outward had changed all that much, Sam could feel the undeniable, undefinable tether between himself and the omega in his arms. A simple yet powerful inner mantra of _**Mine, Mine, Mine**_ played through Sam’s mind, and he clutched desperately at Gabriel’s small body, pulling him infinitesimally closer as the bond completed itself. 

Long minutes passed before Sam came back to himself. Unlocking his jaw, Sam set about lapping the remaining blood away, releasing a pathetic, primitive whine in apology. Gabriel, though he was a trembling mess in Sam’s arms, lifted one hand to gently pet the hair at the base of Sam’s neck as the alpha cleaned him. 

After long, indeterminable moments, they pulled apart just enough for Sam to inspect the bite. It was red and angry looking, but nit nearly as horrible as Sam had feared. He knew, too, that it would heal rather quickly. Still, he felt awful for having to hurt Gabriel in such a way. 

The omega in question brought a tentative hand up and ran his fingers over the flesh of the mark. He looked stricken, like he couldn’t quite grasp what was happening. 

“Gabriel?” Sam whispered. Still holding the omega in his arms, Sam leaned forward and rested his forehead on Gabriel’s. “You alright? I’m so sorry, I—”

Gabriel snapped his attention back to the alpha. “No, shush.” And then he tilted his head upwards and the two of them resumed using their mouths for more fun things. 

Sam knew that, at any moment, Gabriel’s mating heat would set in, triggering Sam’s rut. This state of limbo that they were in between the bite and the mating could last anywhere from a few minutes to maybe an hour, and the uncertain certainty of the situation charged the air around them with some odd kind of desperate comfort. They were in this together. 

How long they truly had to wait would forever remain a mystery to Sam, swept away as he was in his omega—his mate. Gabriel’s shaking hands eventually found Sam’s shirt buttons. Sam helped him undo the shirt and shrugged it off over his shoulders, his feelings of vulnerability dissipating. Gabriel curled in close to his chest, exploring the skin of it and Sam’s shoulders and neck with curious hands and fluttering kisses. Sam felt, as he held Gabriel to him, how the omega’s skin was beginning to flush, radiating more heat than before. 

Gabriel’s breathing picked up considerably, and Sam looked down to see him gasping for breath, a sheen of sweat on his brow. Gently, slowly, he maneuvered them both to lie down on top of the covers. They’d stopped their kissing, and touching had dwindled to gentle strokes of Sam’s hands up and down Gabriel’s back as the omega caught his breath. Gabriel burrowed into Sam’s chest, breathing deeply as the mating heat took over. 

Sam fiddled with the sleeve of Gabriel’s chemise. Looking down to catch his eye, he let out a delighted hum when Gabriel nodded. He helped Gabriel out of his nightclothes and couldn’t stop himself from staring, just a little. Gods above, Gabriel was gorgeous. 

He was also self conscious, it would seem, even in his hazed state. Gabriel whimpered and tried to cover his modestly with shaking hands. Sam leaned down once again to kiss his fear away. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Y-you’re alright…” he nuzzled Gabriel’s temple as he tucked the omega under the soft covers. “This is alright. You’re so beautiful…” 

Sam removed his trousers unceremoniously, with only the barest hint of hesitance. He climbed under the covers with Gabriel. 

Gabriel, thought he was having noticeable trouble hanging onto his own rationality, grasped Sam’s hand and looked at him with pleading eyes. “A-Alpha, I…” he swallowed laboriously. “Gently?…”

Sam shushed him, kissed and nuzzled his face as he crawled on top of Gabriel’s small body, propping himself up on his elbows. He smiled shakily down at the omega. “It’s okay. Let Alpha take care of you.”

Gabriel craned his neck to seek out more of Sam’s scent, and wrapped his arms around the alpha’s shoulders. The let out a litany of tiny whimpers and whines, pawing at Sam’s skin.

Sam breathed deeply as he aligned himself with Gabriel, and when he felt the heat and slickness radiating from the omega’s core he let his instinct take over completely. He pressed into Gabriel’s heat with a choked, rumbling growl, reveling in the tightness and the sharp pinpricks of pain from Gabriel’s nails digging into his skin. Gabriel squeaked out a tiny whimper as his virginity was taken. Briefly, Sam panicked, thinking that the omega was in pain, but one whiff of the strong, inviting scent coming from the omega encouraged him onward, as did the insistent licks Gabriel was leaving in his neck. Sam surged forward. 

As he buried himself completely within his mate’s tightness, Sam could’ve cried in relief. Since the moment he agreed to this marriage, he’d worried that he’d be taking an unwilling omega, or at least a hesitant one. Gabriel’s scent told a different story; even an omega in heat, had they not wanted an alpha, would be able to communicate as much. But Gabriel _wanted_ this. Sam reveled in the comfort of this most intimate embrace, his hips cradled so perfectly between Gabriel’s thighs, the omega’s soft hair pressed against his cheek. 

After they’d both calmed a bit from the initial joining, Gabriel tilted his face up, and nicked at Sam’s jaw. Sam caught his lips in another deep kiss, and the two of them lost themselves to the inviting, ambiguous darkness of intimacy that the night offered. 

III

And so progressed the night. Sam would reflect into the days and weeks to come that he remembered very little of the mating heat. A deliciously exhaustive cycle of mating, knotting, resting, and mating again. He and Gabriel learned everything there was to know about the other’s body within the span of that night, growing bolder and more open with each other. 

There were a few small moments that stood out, however. At one point, a couple rounds into their night, Sam found himself beneath Gabriel. The omega had straddled him, and the way he’d moved on top of Sam had left the alpha feeling drunk. The omega had screwed his eyes shut in concentration, making up for his lack of experience by the sheer want to make it feel good. He’d been shaking and panting, already spent but still riding the waves of the mating heat. The image of the way Gabriel had moved his hips would forever remain in the back of Sam’s consciousness. 

Another moment, one which found Sam once again atop his mate, Sam had pushed himself up and taken a good look at Gabriel amid their mutual chase toward another climax. Gabriel was breathtaking; sweat-glistened skin heaved with heavy breath, eyelashes fluttering and mouth open and panting with the pleasure, fingers grasping at the sheets. Feeling Sam move, Gabriel had opened his eyes and reached up, circling his trembling hands around the back of Sam’s neck and pulling the alpha back down on top of him. Sam lost himself again after that.

Sam and Gabriel had taken advantage of the time spent knotted together to rest. Neither could actually sleep, but coming down from their highs together, dozing comfortably was all they could do. They spent some of the time talking, getting to know silly things about each other. Sam learned that Gabriel’s favorite holiday was Christmas, even though he didn’t like the cold itself very much. Sam told him about how he liked the color green, but thought that it didn’t suit him. Silly things, that by all rights shouldn’t have been shared in the marriage bed. But Sam liked it. He wanted to know this beautiful person who had already given his body to him. Sam wanted his heart, too. 

III

As the sky outside, clear of rainclouds, brightened from black to the deep indigo of pre-morning, the mating heat broke. Sam, fully sheathed inside Gabriel for the umpteenth time that night, felt it happen as the omega rode out his pleasured release. Gabriel was on his front, biting the pillowcase beneath his face while Sam kept a grounding grip on his hips as they both calmed down. With his last bit of strength, Sam rolled them onto their sides, with Gabriel’s back pressed firmly into Sam’s chest. 

On the verge of passing out from exhaustion, Sam made a last valiant effort to check on his mate. Gabriel quaked in his arms. “Ga…Gabriel?”

The omega didn't answer, for all he was panting, but Sam felt a hand cover his where it rested around Gabriel’s middle, intertwining clumsy fingers. Seconds later, Sam was delighted to hear quiet purring from his omega. Deeply content, he drifted off, holding his mate close to his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO ISN'T DEAD
> 
> (guess who's almost dead because I'm graduating from college at the end of the month and I'm t i r e d)
> 
> ...it's okay though because SABRIEL
> 
> For real though, I'm getting back on it, I promise. Hopefully now that I've moved on from being an undergrad to being unemployed, I'll gave some extra time on my hands!!! Yay!


End file.
